Receiving-box for pneumatic dispatch-tubes



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

, E. A. PORDYOE. RECEIVING BOX FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH TUBES. .No. 525,594. Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

W Magda 5 7% M (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. A. PORDYCE. RECEIVING BOX FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATGH TUBES.

No. 525,594. 5 Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

I @-c a I L4 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMOND FORDYCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RECEIVING-BOX FOR PNEUMATIC DISPATCH-TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,594, dated September 4, 1894.

Application filed September 4, 1893- Serial No. 484,785- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMOND A. FORDYCE, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receiving- Boxes for Pneumatic Dispatch Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a receiving box for pneumatic dispatch tubes, and in the art is known as an upward discharge terminal. It is used at the cashiers, inspectors or salesmens stations and has connected thereto the receiving tube by which the carrier is delivered to the box and a suction tube by which the current of air is drawn through the box to effect the automatic delivery of the carrier.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction of the box itself. Heretofore these boxes have usually been made of wood, and difiiculties have been encountered in making them air tight, and they are unsightly in appearance even when carefully and expensively made. I construct this receiving box of metal, and preferably divide it in halves for convenience in construction. The box is of flat, oval form, curved upon its top, and with a fiat bottom. The bottom wall is provided with circular openings to receive the ends of the receiving and suction pipes respectively. The interior of the box is provided with a curved rib which forms, with the exterior wall, a continuation of the receiving tube. This rib or flange curves over from the receiving side to the discharge side of the box and terminates short of the bottom wall. An opening is provided in this bottom wall and a hinged door controlled by a suitable spring is fitted thereto so as to automatically close over the opening. This door is opened by the impact of the carrier thereon, and the carrier is delivered with considerable force into the box and is impelled by the action of the air over the curved rib or bridge. The current which passes over with the carrier is permitted to escape under the lower end of the curved rib and into the suction pipe. The interior of the box, and particularly of that part thereof with which the carrier comes in contact, is polished or enameled so as to reduce the friction and to avoid wear upon the carrier.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the box, showing the receiving and suction tubes in section partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the box sections, the view being sectional through the door and bottom wall and through a portion of the receiving and suction tubes; and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the box.

In constructing the box, I prefer to cast it from metal and to part the casting making two similar sections A, B, which are joined together by the binding bolts 0. When said parts are united they form a flat, oval body having a flat bottom D.

E represents a curved rib which springs from the bottom wall D and is continued in the arc of a circle so as to form with the outer wall of the box a continuation of the receiving tube F. Said rib terminates above the bottom wall of the box as shown in Fig.3. Said bottom wall is provided with a hinged door G, which is hinged about mid-length of the bottom wall. 7

H represents the suction tube which communicates with the interior of the box through the bottom wall.

I represents the carrier, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The curved passage above the rib E forms a continuation of the receiving tube F, and the walls of this passage are polished, glazed or enameled to reduce the friction on the carrier, and also to prevent wear thereon. This coating of enamel is indicated at b in Fig. 2.

The box is shown in position for use in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the carrier in passing through the tube F to the door follows the outer wall of the box. The distance which it traverses in contact with this outer wall is sufficient to reduce its speed so that it will be delivered through the door without undue force. The air is effective upon the carrier until it reaches the point of discharge when the air is permitted to escape into the suction pipe H, and any induced current coming in through the door likewise finds ready vent to said tube. This feature of providing curved rib forming with the external wall a continuation of the receiving tube, said rib terminating above the bottom, and a hinged door in said bottom, substantially as described.

EDMOND A. FORDYCE.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK C. GooDWIN, L. F. MOOREA. 

